K-Mart Sucks! I just found over 30 different figs on the peg on my lunch break. Filled up a cart and went to the front and they denied me. The part that pisses me off is that the checkout was next to the service dept and you could see tons of figs that were taken away from previous customers. The cashier was upset from doing this all morning long. I told them they should get off there asses to remove the 10 pegs that were filled with them and maybe they wouldnt have anything to bitch about.

I know this really doesn't help much - but does anyone know if there are laws against stores denying/stopping you from purchasing merchandise that is out on the floor on pegs/on shelves?

I would think that it would fall under the same category of when you pick something up and it's priced one amount and it rings up a different amount - the store gives you the lower amount. Why wouldn't a similar axiom apply - if they put the stuff out they have to sell it to you?

Sorry if I'm off base - but I'm still bitter about being denied the other day at WalMart...

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Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

It'll be here tomorrow, but, sheesh. USPS and FedEx will just leave it at my doorstep, but UPS has to be all difficult about it.

It looks like it's time for me to really disturb people regarding the practices of the USPS, FedEx, and UPS. After I tell you guys this, you'll probably never look at the three biggest shippers in the US of A the same way again, but this is all information that I have gathered from employees of said companies over the past few years and it also explains why I am so paranoid about each of them in their own ways.

First off, UPS has a system as to whether or not they will leave a package or a notice when you receive something from them. According to a former employee, UPS has an unspecified hierarchy of residential areas that decides whether or not they will leave a package, leave a notice, or some other option. Here's how it works:

Level One: at this level, the UPS delivery person will leave the package hidden somewhere on your property and leave an InfoNotice on your door to point you to where this is. This is usually only done in "secure" areas, such as gated communities, rural areas with low traffic flow, or otherwise "safe" places. My parents live in the second category and UPS routinely leaves packages in their barn with a notice on the front door.

Level Two: at this level, the UPS person will only leave the package if you give them written permission to do so, or they will leave it with a neighbor (who, Jebus willing, won't bitch and moan about it after they agreed to do it in the first place, but I digress). If you give them neither, they will leave you an InfoNotice and attempt redelivery.

Level Three: at this level, UPS will only leave an InfoNotice on your door and would probably prefer it if you come to their distribution center to pick it up so they don't have to come back out to the DMZ.

So basically, the nicer the area/neighborhood you live in, the quicker you'll get your UPS packages. When I found this little tiered structure out last year, I got really depressed at being in Level Two.

Also, UPS is less reliable the larger your package is. One ex-employee said that anything bigger than a television that said "FRAGILE" on it was basically tagged as being target practice. He said that the employees would treat these packages in a much more haphazard fashion due to the working conditions they operated under. Kind of a Fight Club-esque revenge on people that have nothing to do with their work conditions, I suppose.

FedEx is the company that literally doesn't give a **** about you or your package. If you want it fast, they'll get it to you, but they are a slave to their computer systems. One story had a guy ordering a computer with five-day delivery only to have it arrive at the distribution center three days early. This distro center was a mile away from his home (he lived near an airport) and when he saw this on his tracking summary, he went to the distro center to see if they would give it to him. The people there said that he paid for 5 day and that it would not be given to him any sooner, despite the fact that it was right there. FedEx will often just throw the packages out of the truck (depending on how close to the residence you are) and several times (personal experience) they have not even knocked on my door to let me know that my package has arrived. They run up to the door quickly, throw it down and speed away. On one occasion, I literally tripped over the package as I walked out my door.

Their customer service is generally atrocious too. I can't recall all the details, but there was something said about them randomly taking days off and purposely not answering the phones at other times. And they're generally seen as having the absolute worst record at being able to find your package if it is lost. Also, keep in mind that FedEx Ground is operated on a local level (similar to a franchise), so often times, they don't communicate so well with the actual company.

As for the USPS, their attitude is basically "We're the only game in town, so deal with it!" They will more or less come right out and tell you that 90 percent of their services are useless, and that unless you want to be 100 percent sure you will get something when you're supposed to get it, you have to spring for their highest level of service (which is, predictably, more expensive than either FedEx or UPS). They also like to randomly acknowledge/deny their relation to the US Government. This changes from day to day, based on the given situation. If it benefits them (as in "federal holiday"), they will say they are in the govt. If it does not benefit them, they deny it.

So, in short, this is what they are good for:

UPS: packages up to the size of a televisionFedEx: documents/letters that are time sensitiveUSPS: cheap ways to send letters but otherwise nothing

Picked up a number of the Collection 2 Jedi today, even though WalMart's computer didn't want to let them go. Big up to overzealous cashiers who want to see a sale through no matter what pops up on their register screens!

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"You were entrusted to lead the Republic." - Vote for Ven Zallow from THE OLD REPUBLIC in figure polls!

I keep finding red royal guard's. Nothing wrong with it, but where's the blue Senate dude??? Closest Walmart putting out four cases of Collection two tonight, minus two red guards. Pretty hard to miss the do not stock until April 2nd on the box as well, but I guess were I stocking shelves I wouldn't look either. No collection one at all, which kinda sucked, I wanted to pick up some more clones and another Vader.

I still have the feeling that Canada is only going to see the first 24 figures.

Picked up a number of the Collection 2 Jedi today, even though WalMart's computer didn't want to let them go. Big up to overzealous cashiers who want to see a sale through no matter what pops up on their register screens!

I wish I could of had the same luck as you. I've been denied at my local WalMart three times now - they keep putting the stuff out. They are so damn stupid!

This morning I saw Attacktix, Deluxe Figures and the Blasters - I only wanted the Deluxe so I tried to buy them - I was DENIED.

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Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

No leaks, but didn't want to start a seperate thread for this. Went to Target this weekend to pick up a few things, and they had basically eliminated their Star Wars section in the action figure aisle, with just three pegs holding clearanced Unleashed (Tuskens mainly). The pegs where the preview figures used to reside (several pegs actually), were taken out and the whole aisle was shifted down. I'm curious where Target is going to put all the ROTS stuff, they are obviously preparing for something big. Maybe its own little seperate section or something, should be fun this weekend when it all starts .

No leaks, but didn't want to start a seperate thread for this. Went to Target this weekend to pick up a few things, and they had basically eliminated their Star Wars section in the action figure aisle, with just three pegs holding clearanced Unleashed (Tuskens mainly). The pegs where the preview figures used to reside (several pegs actually), were taken out and the whole aisle was shifted down. I'm curious where Target is going to put all the ROTS stuff, they are obviously preparing for something big. Maybe its own little seperate section or something, should be fun this weekend when it all starts .

The same is true in my area - two of the three Targets (I haven't been able to visually confirm at a third) have completely eliminated their Star Wars section - my guess is that they will make a new spot for it on a new aisle altogether.

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Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!

Well, this is a change. It seems someone at Hasbro's Canadian office finally caught on. Went on a mini-run today and there was nothing out there. Not a shred of anything at three stores. And two of these stores had merchandise on Saturday night, including one Walmart that was set to put out four boxes of Collection 2 that night. I'd like to think that Star Wars sells really well, but I can't see four battle droids and four Padme preggers figures selling that quickly.

My guess is that Hasbro finally stepped in, though not sure what the point is now. I do know one store on the other side of the city had an end cap full (apparently) but it was only the first 24 figures, so no great loss there.

I took a vacation day today and went shopping at my local Target in Airzona and low and behold there was and endcap at the front of the store full of ROTS Figures 1-24.

I purchased 25, store management was watching me and as soon as I left the staff broke down the endcap and put the remaining figures back in boxes. I was waiting for someone to approach me and advise me they could not sell the items prior to 4/2 but that never happened.

I even tried to use my $1.00 coupon on each figure unsuccessfully. The cashier advised me to return with the coupon and receipt on 4/2 and they would refund me the $25.00, we shall see.

I was not too sure I was going to collect these but since I got most of the initial release figures in one swoop it made it worth it.

Man, I do not know where to start with the ROTS threads. Excitement for the movie release date has set in!!!